Chapter 40: The Leisurely Life of Yin'e

When Yinzhen came to Yongshou Palace to visit Yin'e again, he was surprised to find that his tenth brother, who used to be so lazy that he could stay in bed all day without moving and would either sit or lie on the couch, had actually gotten up.

Today, Yinzhen arrived at Yongshou Palace at the same time as usual.

Yin'e, who should have been sleeping in late and only reluctantly got up after Yin Tang's loud calls, was already up and eating his morning snack with a small spoon while wearing a bib.

He ran to the dining table, his exquisite phoenix eyes wide with shock, his little face filled with bewilderment and disbelief: "Tenth brother? Tenth brother?!"

Yin Tang called out to Yin E twice, his tone shifting from surprise to astonishment.

Even though only one night had passed, Yin Tang seemed to suddenly not recognize Yin E. He looked at Yin E with a blank and confused gaze, as if he was doubting whether Yin E was really his tenth brother.

Yin Tang circled around Yin Tang several times, like a cat circling around catnip.

"Tenth Brother, you're up?" Yinzhen asked, tilting his head in surprise.

After swallowing the food in his mouth, Yin'e responded crisply, "Okay, get up~"

With a wave of his little hand, Yin'e looked up at Yin'tang with a bright smile: "Good morning, Ninth Brother!"

"Good morning, Tenth Brother," Yinzhen replied subconsciously.

After the wet nurse removed his outer cloak, Yinzhen rushed over impatiently. He sat down next to Yin'e, his fair face close to his, and asked, "Tenth Brother, why did you get up so early today?"

Yin Tang's tender voice was filled with disappointment, and his face was full of regret and pity.

For Yinzhen, waking Yin'e up at Yongshou Palace every morning was not a chore, but a very fun and interesting game.

Like a game of hide-and-seek, he had to catch his tenth brother hiding under the covers from the outside until he pulled him out of bed. This was no easy task, because his tenth brother would wriggle around under the covers, and he often couldn't find his head on one side.

With a sullen, cat-like face, Yinzhen exuded an aura of "I'm not happy."

He puffed out his fair cheeks, his eyes were watery, and he stared straight at Yin'e with a face full of grievance, as if he would burst into tears at any moment.

Seeing that Yinzhen's little mouth was pouting so much it could hold an oil lamp, looking like he wanted to coax him, Yin'e blinked helplessly, but didn't find it annoying.

Perhaps it was because Yinzhen was so cute, and his arrogant little expressions were also soft and adorable, that he wasn't annoying.

Putting aside the spoon, Yin'e simply picked up the small bowl, tilted his head back, and gulped down the remaining half of the milk.

Wiping his mouth, Yin'e led Yin Tang to his feet: "Ninth Brother, let's go to the Imperial Garden today."

Without being coaxed, Yin Tang was a little awkward when Yin E led him up.

But when he realized what Yin'e had said, his eyes immediately lit up, sparkling as if they were filled with stars: "Really? Let's go play in the Imperial Garden?"

"Of course, we'll go right away." Yin'e softened his voice, his almond-shaped eyes clear and moist, dark like a deep pool, "I know Ninth Brother has always wanted to go."

Previously, when Yinzhen was raised by Consort Yi, he did frequently visit the Imperial Garden. However, ever since he met Yin'e, Yinzhen has never gone to play in the Imperial Garden again.

Because Yin'e disliked that the Imperial Garden was too far away, and as the weather got colder, he became increasingly reluctant to go out and had no interest in suffering in the cold wind in the Imperial Garden.

Therefore, even after all this time, Yin'e has never been to the famous Imperial Garden, making him a true country bumpkin.

Of course, Yin'e was just trying to appease Yin Tang, so his words weren't very credible.

Yin'e's sudden visit to the Imperial Garden was not because Yin Tang really wanted to go, nor because he wanted to play with Yin Tang, but because he wanted to supervise the Consort's daily half-hour walk from today onwards, to maintain a certain amount of exercise and improve her health.

Actually, it was Yin'e's oversight before.

He had some knowledge of the history of the Qing Dynasty, knew that Consort Niohuru would die young, and had related memories.

But when Yin'e suddenly transmigrated, he became a person in history. However, he was unable to immediately integrate into the new world and did not realize that the figures he could only encounter in history books were now right beside him, his closest relatives in this life.

Moreover, in Yin'e's memory, the Imperial Concubine died of illness ten years later. Ten years is a long time, even for Yin'e who had lived two lives.

Yin'e had just confirmed his identity in this life and learned that his mother was a Noble Consort, and he was determined not to let her die young. But he really hadn't thought to plan ahead ten years ago.

Finally, it was the Consort's usual behavior that misled Yin'e.

Although the Imperial Concubine drank a bowl of tonic every day, she was not a sickly beauty. She was not weak or frequently bedridden. After more than a year of continuous care, her health had greatly improved, and she was indeed out of danger, just as the imperial physicians had said.

When Yin'e advised the Consort to summon the imperial physician last night, his doubts and criticisms of the physician were actually nitpicking.

The imperial physician who examined her pulse must have been out of his mind to neglect her, given her noble status.

Perhaps the imperial physicians, who were used to protecting themselves, did not do their best, but to say that they were perfunctory and did not care about the concubine's health is pure slander.

However, Yin'e knew nothing about these things; he was unaware that the Imperial Concubine's health had greatly improved.

He was only given a wake-up call yesterday, suddenly realizing that the historical Consort Gui had already passed away before the Tenth Prince's wedding. The fear of losing the Consort Gui instantly seized his mind, causing him to lose his composure and overreact.

After calming down, Yin'e was also somewhat annoyed that his overreaction had frightened the Imperial Concubine.

But in his previous life, Yin'e had few relatives and drifted alone in the world. In this life, he finally had a mother who loved him wholeheartedly, and he absolutely did not want to lose his mother in his childhood and repeat the same mistakes as in his previous life.

Therefore, even though there were still ten years to go, Yin'e didn't feel there was anything wrong with supervising the Consort's health and wellness from now on.

Sometimes minor illnesses can accumulate and turn into major ones; seemingly insignificant details can accumulate and cause something that appears very solid to crumble in an instant—no one knows when the last snowflake will fall.

Although the Imperial Concubine was still quite young by today's standards, the medical level in the Qing Dynasty was low, so extra care was needed. The earlier the Imperial Concubine began to take care of her health, the sooner her body would be in good condition, and the greater her chances of avoiding death from illness ten years later.

To maintain good health, one must focus on three aspects:

First, there is medicinal supplementation. This involves long-term use of traditional Chinese herbs such as ginseng, cordyceps, and deer antler to nourish the body. Second, there is oral administration of various prepared Chinese medicines as prescribed by a doctor, such as Bazhen Tang for invigorating qi and nourishing blood, and Liuwei Dihuang Wan for nourishing yin and tonifying the kidneys.

Secondly, there's dietary supplementation. Having once been a college student who drank goji berries from his thermos, Yin'e has absorbed some health knowledge through exposure. Drinking more porridge, supplementing with appropriate amounts of protein, and eating more fruits and vegetables are all good tips for maintaining health.

Thirdly, exercise, preferably aerobic exercise.

Whether it's medicinal supplements or dietary supplements, the specific methods must be discussed with the imperial physicians, and their advice must be followed. The Consort had already consulted the head of the Imperial Medical Academy, who had come to Yongshou Palace today, about these matters in detail.

—Although Yin'e was already up when Yin Tang came to Yongshou Palace today, Yin'e actually got up only a quarter of an hour earlier than usual.

Apart from Yin'e, everyone else in Yongshou Palace got up very early.

While he was still fast asleep, the gynecologist that Greenery had invited had already examined the Imperial Concubine's pulse and, at the Imperial Concubine's special request, prescribed a suitable tonic and dietary supplement plan based on her physical condition.

After the imperial physician prescribes a tonic, one must be careful and meticulous when picking up the medicine from the pharmacy. Do not fall into the trap of the Imperial Household Department using inferior ingredients, as the medicine you receive may be of the wrong age or have lost its medicinal properties due to improper storage.

As for the dietary supplement plan, the imperial physicians already take the patient's pulse every five days, so they can adjust it every five days based on the feedback after the health regimen. Yongshou Palace has a small kitchen, and the people serving in the kitchen are all former servants of Empress Xiaozhao, so they can be trusted and the dietary supplement plan can be completely entrusted to them.

The use of medicinal supplements and dietary supplements required the personal supervision of the imperial physicians. All Yin'e could do was to supervise the Consort's daily exercise and maintain her daily health and wellness.

The Imperial Concubine has already sent people to find a female teacher to teach her Tai Chi, Five Animal Frolics, and other health-preserving exercises.

Before this, Yin'e accompanied the Consort on daily walks to exercise and stretch her muscles, allowing her body time to adapt gradually. He didn't start with high-intensity exercise, as that would be counterproductive and could injure her.

Yin'e led Yin Tang to the main hall: "Mother, we are ready. Let's go to the Imperial Garden now."

Having donned his new bell-shaped cloak, Yinzhen bowed to the Imperial Concubine with an endearing air, his tone brimming with joy: "Greetings, Imperial Concubine!"

The Imperial Concubine responded to Yinzhi's greeting, then glanced at Yin'e with a hint of helplessness.

Her lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but she stopped herself in the end. With the help of Lanzhi and Luyi, she put on the cloak and slightly raised her chin to make it easier to tie the sash.

After being examined by the imperial physician, the Consort was certain that her health was no longer a problem. She really didn't understand what Yin'e was so nervous about, that he, who was usually lazy, had changed his usual behavior and actually offered to accompany her for a walk in the Imperial Garden.

Well, this is also Yinzhen's filial piety, so we should just accept it silently.

The Imperial Concubine shook her head, her eyes filled with doting affection as she looked at Yin'e.

Leaving Yongshou Palace and walking along the wide palace road with its towering red walls on both sides, I didn't feel anything special. But after passing through Kunning Gate and entering the Imperial Garden, I was immediately struck by how spacious it was, like never before.

Unlike the oppressive and cramped palace walls of the imperial city, the Imperial Garden is spacious and pleasant, with exotic flowers and rare plants everywhere, pavilions and towers standing in rows, and a beautiful view at every turn, full of surprises.

Even though it was winter, thanks to the careful care of the palace servants, many autumn flowers in the Imperial Garden stubbornly remained on the branches, brightening up the gradually fading colors of winter and keeping the Imperial Garden vibrant.

The sky is high and clear, and the air is crisp and clean. Today is a rare good day in winter.

The pale golden sunlight danced up and down in the cool north wind, still warm as it fell, causing Yin'e to tilt his head back and squint his eyes slightly to enjoy the comfort of the winter sun.

At this moment, Yin'e no longer felt that coming to the Imperial Garden to be exposed to the cold wind was a form of torture.

The sky above him was high and vast, boundless and endless. In the cool breeze, Yin'e stood firmly on the ground, gazing up at the azure sky.

He realized once again that he was living in the present moment, living in this world.

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The author's note: One reason for the Consort's early death was that, historically, she would become pregnant again at the end of the twenty-third year or the beginning of the twenty-fourth year, and give birth to the eleventh princess in September of the twenty-fourth year.

At the end of the twenty-fourth year, smallpox broke out in the Qing Palace, and the eleventh princess contracted the disease. Even with the Imperial Concubine's tireless care, the eleventh princess still died, a devastating blow to the Imperial Concubine and a complete breakdown of her health. Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants between 2023-03-02 16:06:38 and 2023-03-02 23:47:17!

Thank you to the little angel who watered the nutrient solution: Li Shang (づ●─●)づ 1 bottle;

Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!